Salesman&#39;s folding sample case



Nov, 23, 1948. 5 R. A. SILENE 2,454,575

SALESMAN S FOLDING SAMPLE CASE Filed March 9 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet I 5INVENTOR,

RUDOLPH A.

fl T TORNEY- SILENE Nov. 23, 1948.

3She'ets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1944 E W W A flTToB NE)- R. A. SILENESALESMANS FOLDING SAMPLE CASE- Nov. 23, 1948.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 9, 1944 INVENTOR.

RUDOLPH H- SILENE Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESALESMANS FOLDING SAMPLE CASE Rudolph Arvid 'Silene, Los Angeles, Calif.Application March 9, 1944, Serial No. 525,741

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to salesmans folding sample case used by salemenfor displaying their goods for sale to customers. It is composed of a Vseries of shelves on which samples of merchandis are carried. 7

An object of my invention is to provide a display basket having a seriesof shelves arranged one above the other and mounted to be shifted fromthe position of wall shelves tothose of-a series of terraced shelves,and provided with suitable mechanisms for makingthose adjustments andalso provided with enclosure means which is hinged and latched on thesides of my basket in a manner to be quickly attached and detached forenclosure and display positions of my shelves.

I prefer to .make my series of shelves progressively narrower from thebottom shelf upwardly to the minimum narrow width of the top shelf. Bythis arrangement of the shelves, when the positions of the shelves arearranged vertically one above the other, the basket is more convenientlycarried about and in the same manner in which hand bags or suit casesand thellike are carried, which is normally with one hand.

In combination with the adjustable features and forms mentioned above 'Iprofide complete means for covering the sides and top of .mylbas- .ket.p

'These enclosures .are made in sections hinged and clasped together 'inmanners which enable the salesman to quickly open the baskets forinspection purposes wherebyla clear view may be had of the entirecontents of the shelving. f

Another feature of my invention which is not common with portabledisplay baskets, is that its outside appearance is in a novel form andshape, not common or even known of competing "baskets, wherebythere is.a novelty of appearance which does not indicate the contents within thebasket asand when the salesman approaches a customer. Thus, there is asense; of curiosity on the part of the customer being approached to seewhat there is carried in my basket. Thus: in many cases the mind of thecustomer is not already made up against the purchase ofgoods.

which they might observe from seeing the contents carriedby the basketbefore the salesman had opportunity for making a display of all of thegoods. The novelty of shape and arrangement of my basketwhen-first-presented toa given 9 customer holds the customers attentionuntil the salesman has opportunity 'to'present his goods for inspection;This is a highly desirable situation to be arrived at when a salesmanfirst calls on a given customer.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which- 'Fig. 1 isa perspective view of my basketopened up in display form with the sidewalls removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the basket when closed upin form to be carried about.

Fig.3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig.1, certain cover portions being obscured. V Fig. 4 is an end elevationof the open. basket, as taken on the section line 4-4 ofFig. 1 with thenearer endmember removedand parts broken away to clarify disclosure.

Fig. dis a perspective detail of the upper left hand corner of the topof the basket.

Fig. 6 is a detail portion of thefllowerleft hand and rear corner of thebasket showing a cutout foot opening as it would appear looking to.-

7 ca]. arrangement in the basket frame.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the locking means indicated in dottedlinesinFig. '7.

Fig. 9 a perspective end view of the left end wall oftheframe of mybasket. Fig. 10 is a section on line III-40 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detailed view of a looking catch, being a part ofthe mechanisms used in relation to the telescoping legs and being takenon theline ll-H of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is awsect'ional detail taken along the line l'2l.2fin"Fig. 9showing parts of the linkage connecting the front and rear legs toeffect simultaneous extension or retraction of the legs;

Fig. 13 is a view of What is shown in Fig. 12 but at right anglesthereto.

The basket is made of any suitable material, either of wood, metal.sheet steel or aluminum or whatevermaterial is found to be mostdesirable forform'ing any part of the device or basket.

The rigid partorframework of the basket is composed of the end wallmembers 2 which are provided with end flanges 3 to which there is fixedthe rigid platesl, see Figs. '3 and 4'. y

:The basket here shown is provided with the bottom tray or shelf 5,middle tray .or shelf 6 .and the top tray or shelf 1. The middle tray orshelf 6 is secured to. the end Walls 2 by bolts8 and this middle tray orshelf does not rock, but re- 3 mains in fixed position. The tray orshelf 5 is hinged by pins 9 to beam bars l and the other ends of thetray or shelf is hinged by pins H to beam bars l2 and these bars l6 andI2 are hinged or supported on the bolts 8 at the end walls [3 of thetray or shelf 6. The upper ends of the beam bars I0 and I2 are hinged bypins M to rounded end blocks l5.

The blocks I5 are connected by' a round bar l6 across the top tray orshelf 1 as is best shown in Fig. l, the ends of which bar l6 are rigidlyfixed into the blocks l5. The top tray or shelf 1 is hinged to the beambars I!) and I2 by the hinge pins The tray or shelf 5 is the wider trayand carries a heavier load usually than the other trays or shelves andit is more apt to become contacted when loaded and moved about inservice when the tray is in the inclined position as shown in Figs. 1, 3and 4, but When the shelves are in vertically aligned position, as shownin the closed up form of Fig. 2, no danger then isoccasioned by outsidejarring contact with anything as relates to the tray or shelf 5 alone.

Hence as a protective guard for the tray or shelf '5, when in positionsas shown by Figs. 1, 3iand '4, there is provided the connecting linkbars l8 shown as being made of angle iron, and the upper 'ends' of theselink bars i8 are hinged on the pins l4 to the block |5. link bars l8 areprovided with slots l6 through which pins 26 extend, saidpins beingmounted in and projecting from the end walls 2| of the tray or shelf 5.Thus, when the trays or shelves 5, 6 and l are moved from the inclinedposition. as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to the inclosed verticalposition, the pins slide, up the slots l9 to inoperative position.

i The rigid plate 4 is connected by a spring hinge I 22 to the trap door23 which is connected by a spring hinge 24 to the curved top cap 25 ofthe basket enclosure. This curved cap 25 is provided with a handle 26,see Fig. 2; by which the basket is carried about.

On the front side of the basket there is a removable cover composed oftwo pieces, the upper piece being indicated by 21 and'the lower piece by28. The piece 28 is mounted to be held in The lower ends of the z placeby being slid down endwise in a slot or v crack made by channel pieces29 fixed alongside the walls 2, and is connected by hinges 3|) to theupper piece 21. Snap latches 3| connect the pieceZl to the curved topcap 25. vThebotto n edge of the piece 28 is connected by snap latches 32to a cross tie member 33 connected to the bottom ends of the front legs34, see Fig. 1. A

The rear legs are indicated by 35 and both sets of .legs at their upperends 31 and 36 are telescoped into sleeve members 38 and 39. The

sleeve members 38 and 39 are circular in form and are longitudinallyslotted along their confronting surfaces.

The upper ends 36 Of the legs 34 have longitudinally extending slots 40and communicating longitudinal cross slots 4|. The slots 46 accommodatethe upper ends of brace bars 43 which carry pivot pins 42 which slide inthe slots 4|. The lower ends of the bars 43 extend diagonally down tothe lower ends of the legs 35 into longitudinally extending slots 44wherein hinge pins 45 connect the brace bars 43 to the legs'35.

The bars 43, when the legs 34 and 35 are extended as is shown in Figs.1, 3 and 4, act as tie rods to keep the front and rear legs fromspreading apart.

When the legs are telescoped into the body of the basket, as isindicated by Figs. 2 and 9, the bars 43 serve to draw up the rear legs35 as and when pressure is put upon the front legs only in thetelescoping action of the legs within the body of the basket. On theother hand where the chief pressure in forcing the inward telescoping ofthe legs is applied to the legs 35, the bars 43 serve to push up thelegs 34 after the hinge pins 42 slide to the upper ends of slots 4|.When the telescoping action is completed whereby the legs are in aposition indicated by Fig. 9, the legs are locked in that position bymeans of latch blocks 46, see Fig. 11.

These blocks 46 are supported in brackets 41 which extend from the topends of the legs 35. Hinge pins 48 in the brackets 41 support the latchblocks 46. The blocks 46 have the upward catch projections 49 adapted.-to engage pins 50 fixed .in the end walls 2 when the legs are telescopedinto the basket as is indicated in Fig. 9. The blocks 46 have lowercatch projections 5| adapted to engage fixed pins. 52 projecting fromend walls 2,see Fig.4.

An arm 53 of the block is connected by hinge pin 54 to a rod 55. Aspring 56 is mounted over the rod and is prevented from slippingupwardly on the rod 55 by the cotter .pin 51.. The rod 55 extendsdownwardly and its lower end 58 is hinged into .a lever 59 fixed on thecross rod 60 which is hinged at. each end to the rear legs 35. A foottreadle 6| is mounted on the central portion of the cross rod 60 wherebya pressure on the treadle 6| by the foot, indicated by 62 in Fig. 3,causes the latch blocks 46 to become disengaged from the fixed pins 50or- 52. Screw eyes 63, see Figs. 4 and 9, are fixed into the rear legs35 and abut the springs 56. When the treadle is released, springs 56rock the block 46 to permit the catchprojections 49 or 5| to reengagethe pins 50 or 52.

The mechanisms in relation to the telescoping of the legs 34.and 35 andthe latch blocks 46 are mountedin'side the end flanges 3 of the endwalls 20f the frame of the basket. These mechanisms are covered over bythe end covers 64 fastened by any suitable means to the end walls 2 asisindicated by screws 65, see Fig. 2, thus making a complete enclosure ofthese latched mechanisms. When the shelves or trays 5, 6 and l aremountedin the inclined positions as is indicated by Figs.1, 3 and 4,they are locked in place by means of rods 66 which are hinged into arevolving disk 61, see Figs. '7 and 8,, which disk is hinged at 68 atthe underside of shelf or tray 1, see Figs. 3 and 7, whereby the ends ofthe rods 66 are made to extend outwardly and to contact the edges of theend walls 2. The movement of the disk 61 in its slight rotary movementis brought about by a pull and push rod 16 having a turned over handleend II. This handle end is guided. and is supported in position by ascrew eye 12 in the bottom of the shelf or tray 1.

The trays or shelves as shown by Figs. 1,3 and 4 are prevented frombeing rocked further toward a horizontal position by the small blocks13, see Fig. 1, which are secured to the end walls 2 and which contactthe underside of the connecting link bars l8.

Downward movement of the legs 34 and35 is bottom edge of the walls -2and which engage amazes pins 75 fastened into the legs '34::and'slidable along the longitudinal slots in sleeves .39. Since the bracebars 43 connect the legs 34 to the legs 35 downward movement of thelatter is also limited by the blocks 1-4.

. When the trays or shelves assume vertical over the top of the blocksI5 and snapping into small notches i1, see Figs. land 5. i

The operation of raising the basket and lowering its legs whereby thebasket stands on its own legs inan upward position is performed in thefollowing way. The user will place his foot 62,

".see Figs. '3 and 6, on the foot treadle SI and thereby will rock thetreadle which pulls down the rod 55 and latch arm 53 to release theprojections 49 of the blocks 46 from the pins 50, which then allows thebody of the basket to be lifted while the legs are held to the floor,the basket moving upwardly until the blocks 14 contact the pins 75 andthe projections 5| contact the pins 52. The pins 52 being fixed into theend walls 2 will thus hold the basket upwardly on its exposed legs.

To reverse the position whereby the legs are telescoped into the body ofthe basket, the foot treadle 6| is again pressed by the foot 62 whichreleases the projection 51 from the pin 52, and thereby allows thebasket to be shoved downward over the legs until the projections 49 ofthe blocks 45 engage the fixed pins 50, see Figs. 9, 10 and 11, whichputs the basket and legs in the relation indicated by Figs. 2 and 9.

As the legs 34 and 35 are set at an angle to each other, the feet ofeach set are nearer to each other when in the position as shown in Fig.2, than when the legs are in position of Fig. 1. Thus if the telescopingaction movement of the legs takes place while the feet of the legs areall on the floor, then a slipping movement of the feet takes place onthe floor between the front and the rear legs.

The preferred method for this telescoping movement is for the operatorto grasp the handle 26, see Fig. 2, and then press with his foot 62 onthe treadle 6|, see Figs. 3 and 6, and then rock the basket towardhimself which then will raise the legs 34 free from the floor while thelegs 35 remain on the floor, and in this position the completetelescoping, either upward or downward, may easily be performed asrelates to the position of the legs in any situation.

When the operator understands this method it takes but a moment or twoto make the desired shifting of the position of the legs.

I have used the terms tray and shelf in the alternative throughout thespecification, but I intend the use of either term in its broadest senseto include all supporting means such as trays, shelves, holders,baskets, basins, etc. whereby articles, powders, liquids, etc., may beheld in any suitable manner for security and/or display.

It is believed that the invention and many of its advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and that numerous changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts withinthe spirit and scope of the invention, the form hereinabove describedbeing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

6 I claim: 1. Adispla'y device comprising aframe; a series oftdisplayshelves,two parallel bars each pivotally mounted'at about the same pointin its length for substantially parallel movement on said. :frame,

said parallel bars pivotally carrying one of said shelves on theirupper, and another on their lower paired ends, a centrally disposedshelf I immovably secured .to saidframe, the movement of said shelfsupporting bars to display position oscillating said upper and lowershelves around'and into offset positions relative to said fixed shelf,and the reverse movement of said bars carrying said movable shelves to aposition within the confines of said frame with the shelves arranged oneabove the other, a supplementary brace bar pivotally connected at oneextremity to the upper portion of a said parallel bar and at the otherextremity to-said lower shelf to help support a load of heavy materialin said lower shelf.

2. A display device comprising a frame member, said frame memberconsisting of end plates and a back plate secured together, a shelfmember positioned substantially centrally of said end plates and securedthereto to form with said end plates and said back plate a rigidstructure, two parallel bars pivoted adjacent the ends of said fixedshelf member and inside of said end plates, a shelf member pivotallysecured to the upper ends of said bars, and another shelf memberpivotally secured to the lower ends of said parallel bars, the pivotalmovement of said parallel bars carrying said upper and lower membersaround and into offset positions relative to said central fixed shelf,the reverse movement of said parallel bars carrying said movable shelfmembers to positions within the confines of said frame member with thesaid shelves one above the other, and a supplementary brace barpivotally connected at one extremity to the upper portion of a saidparallel bar and at the other extremity to said lower shelf member toadd rigidity and support to the assembly.

3. A display device comprising a frame having end plates and a backplate secured together; a shelf positioned substantially centrally ofsaid end plates and secured thereto to form with said end plates andsaid back plate a rigid frame structure; a supplementary back platehinged to said back plate to encompass a portion of the back area ofsaid frame member and the top thereof; a pair of parallel bars pivotedto each of said end plates, each pair lying between a said plate and anadjacent end of said fixed shelf; an upper shelf pivotally secured toupper portions of said parallel bars, and another shelf pivotallymounted on the lower ends of said parallel bars, the pivotal movement ofsaid parallel said upper and lower shelf members in opposite directionsaround said central fixed shelf member and placing said shelf members inoffset relation one to the other; means carried on one of saidoscillating shelves for locking said shelf with said frame end in saidoffset relation, the reverse movement of said parallel bars carryingsaid movable shelf members to a position within the confines of saidframe with said shelves positioned one above the other, and asupplementary brace bar pivotally connected at one extremity to theupper portion of a said bar and at the other extremity to said lowershelf member to help support a heavy load in said lower shelf.

4. A display device comprising a frame having side members; a pair ofparallel links each pivotbars oscillating 'each pivotally mounted inparallel arrangement on said links; an operating bar pivotally mountedto the upper free end portions of said links;

complementary interlocking members on said bar and said frame, saidmounting of frame, links, shelves and bar effecting a parallelarrangement whereby said shelves are movable to open parallel steparrangement or to closed parallel stacked relationship, at the end ofwhich latter movement said shelves are automatically locked by saidinterlocking members; and a supplementary brace bar pivotally connectedat one end to said operating bar and at its lower end to an outwardlyextending portion of the lowermost of said shelves, at least one of saidbar connections having also a sliding movement to take up lost motlon,said brace bar supporting said lowermost 8 shelf and adding rigidity tothe shelf assembly when in said open parallel step arrangement.

RUDOLPH ARVID SILENE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,648 Small Aug. 13, 19121,366,243 Carr Jan. 18, 1921 1,532,146 Lyde Apr. '7, 1925 2,019,083Loftin Oct. 29, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,338 GreatBritain Aug. 2'7, 1888 439,705 France June 21, 1912 65,500 SwitzerlandJan. 6, 1914

